A Monk Without A Monastery: An Examination of Self-Discovery

Why are we here?

Some suggest that one reason we may be here, is to understand why we make the choices we make, and how to make better ones.

What does it mean to be human?

How can we learn to recognize how ego can destroy inner peace, and vanquish ego to release the true nature of our compassionate spiritual essence?

This book explores such questions and offers some answers, while examining some even tougher questions such as: how are human beings capable of genocide on one hand, and capable of near godlike compassion on the other?

Growing numbers of human beings believe we have the potential to evolve in spiritual awareness as a species and produce a more compassionate world. Only time will tell, but ’time’may be running out. One thing is certain however, positive change cannot happen without knowledge, effort and vision.

We live in very challenging times. Witnessing the continual stream of the horrors of ’humanity-defining’ moments such as war, corruption, genocide, and the collapse of liberal democracies into fascism and tyranny, can leave us feeling hopeless and empty inside.

It is not hopeless though. We cancreate a new, more peaceful reality and work for positive change. Butto do this we need to have the right tools in our tool box. This book utilizes time-tested traditional Buddhist philosophies of awareness, mindfulness, and meditation practice, to assist such travelers of the spiritual path in their journey. The book also explores perspectives from other spiritual traditions because Buddhism is not the only avenue to enlightenment.

The goal is to create the toolbox you need for generating compassion, self-realization and positive change for yourself, as well as the world you reside in.

Michael Jaquish is spiritual guide and life coach and a practicing Buddhist of the Tibetan Mahayana tradition following the path of the Bodhisattva. He has spent a very diverse life observing the human condition and pondering life from a spiritual perspective. He is the author of over fifteen books including; NAMASTE (Greeting The Light Within), THE BUDDHA AND THE BADGE, BEYOND COURAGE (Tales of a Country Cop in Africa), and Where Did We Come From? (And Where Are We Going?) Following a career as a peace officer in Washington State, Michael traveled to West Africa in 1989 and spent the next eight years running security operations for the US State Department, often in the midst of civil war and political unrest. He survived three African civil wars and emerged with a deep awareness of how much human suffering is self-inflicted. He now resides in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States where he studies spiritual philosophy, writes and mentors fellow seekers of truth while practicing compassion for all beings.